I once saw on this forum that you could use parts from a much newer vehicle to convert a 72 dart with drums to disc brakes. Would anyone know anything about this? I know I could just spend like $1500 for new parts but honestly the money is just not here at the moment. I have a lot to fix on the car and 1500 on brakes at the moment is just not at the front of the line.
What donor vehicle to get disc brakes setup from for 72 swinger.
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Believe it or not, a kit may be your cheapest option.
Here's one based on stock parts. Your wheels will need to be 4.5" inch bolt pattern with the kit. They're probably 4" now with stock drums.
This vendor is a member of the forum and gives great customer service.
10.95" Front Disc Brake Kit (Stage 1)
Hhere's one thread (of many) that you may find helpful.
A Body Disc Brake Swap 101
Here's one based on stock parts. Your wheels will need to be 4.5" inch bolt pattern with the kit. They're probably 4" now with stock drums.
This vendor is a member of the forum and gives great customer service.
10.95" Front Disc Brake Kit (Stage 1)
Hhere's one thread (of many) that you may find helpful.
A Body Disc Brake Swap 101
Nothing wrong with drum brakes If you aren't racing.
73-76 Duster, Dart, Swinger, Scamp, ECT. preferably with a factory V-8.
That would be easiest to pull all the parts you need, brake booster, master cyl, porportioning valve, lines, and all the other stuff you know you need..
That would be easiest to pull all the parts you need, brake booster, master cyl, porportioning valve, lines, and all the other stuff you know you need..
Depends on what you mean by "much newer". 40 years ago that statement was true but these days the parts cars are not much newer, they are roughly the same age. You used to be able to go to a wrecking yard and grab the brakes from a FMJ car for a quick disc brake upgrade. If you were smart you would also grab the 11.75 rotors and caliper brackets from an R body as well as a set of 15 inch rims and you were in cop car heaven. Find a set of big drums for the rear, an anti-sway bar off another car, and maybe get lucky and find a Feather Duster to part out while you were at it. But those days are long gone. Best bet these days is to call up Doctor Diff and buy a kit.
Exactly. The "newest" car that you could conceivably use as a donor for a '73+ disk swap is an '89 Diplomat or 5th Ave. But even those cars are not frequently seen in the yards anymore.
And as with any of the 73+disk swaps you'd need either a set of large ball joint UCA's that will not come from your donor car, or a tapered spindle adaptor from DoctorDiff.
Having pulled those disk swap conversions out of the yards for my own cars, I will also say that you're really only saving money on the spindles and caliper brackets. Because the rotors, bearings, seals, calipers, brake pads etc are likely not going to be in a condition you'll want to use without a rebuild. In the case of the calipers, the price the yard charges you will likely be higher than the core charge for a rebuilt set. So most of the time you're better off just paying the core charge. Hell even finding places to turn rotors isn't as easy as it used to be!
The first couple of brake conversions I pulled out of the yards I grabbed everything. After needing to rebuild/replace most of the stuff beyond the spindles and caliper brackets I stopped grabbing (and paying for) everything else unless it looked SUPER clean. Which it pretty much never was.
Bottom line is, I'd just buy the kit from DoctorDiff. No scouring parts yards, no laying in the dirt pulling parts of unknown history and condition, no finding out later you have to rebuilt or replace the stuff anyway.
junkyardhero
Well-Known Member
x2 on the above. the swap hinges on spindle-- that's where the magic happens and everything is available new now. it used to be you needed to get the 73~76 upper with the larger ball joint, but now there's an adapter for the smaller joint to the spindle.
the cost of the consumables new or reman from the parts store negates any savings you'd see in snagging the rotors and calipers unless they're mint.
the biggest issue is finding the stuff used. it's just not out there anymore littering the yard like it once was. the pieces come up quite frequently in the classifieds here, but shipping can sometimes sour a deal.
the cost of the consumables new or reman from the parts store negates any savings you'd see in snagging the rotors and calipers unless they're mint.
the biggest issue is finding the stuff used. it's just not out there anymore littering the yard like it once was. the pieces come up quite frequently in the classifieds here, but shipping can sometimes sour a deal.
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